Fractured Facades
by Serias
Summary: Sequel to Broken Doll." Elle could see the changes in him, he was reconciling the two sides of his soul, the best he could. She almost wished she could open his head up and work a few magic tricks, but she knew that was not a possibility. "
1. Chapter 1

Elle could see the changes in him, he was reconciling the two sides of his soul, the best he could. She almost wished she could open his head up and work a few magic tricks, but she knew that was not a possibility. He was more aggressive as the days went by, pinning her to the bed when they made love, that low tone that reminded her of what he used to be, but also sent shivers up her spine. She would be lying if she said she liked him as the sweet, compliant watchmaker. She liked him more with a little bit of darkness.

No one was certain how Adam Monroe was alive again, but many among them thought he would make a play for power. Flint and Knox had fallen behind him, which was to be expected after they were expelled from Pinehearst. Elle smiled at the thought, knowing that Peter was doing his best to help Mohinder work out the kinks of the formula, his powers still growing stronger each day. Aurora had started helping him, she knew more about the kind of business they were in. Elle caught the way he looked at her friend, and wondered how long Aurora was going to be oblivious too it.

She was meeting Gabriel, Aurora and Peter at Pinehearst that day, still trying to figure out what their plan of action was at this point. They had all agreed that there needed to be some sort of order, and with both Primatech and Pinehearst out of commission there was really no sort of entity policing the actions of 'special' people. She walked into the office that was across from where Arthur had be killed, she was not even sure if anyone had been in there since the night a few weeks ago.

Gabriel's face seemed to light up the moment he saw her, closing the distance between them to hug her close. She felt like his anchor, anytime she was near him it appeared as if he had to touch her in some way. A hand on her thigh when they sat side by side, fingers against the small of her back when they walked, always casual, but meaningful. They made their greeting and then each took a seat at the small round table in the center of the room, joining Aurora and Peter.

"I don't think our parents had it all wrong, I think they just...lost sight of their vision." Peter began, and for the most part they all shared his sentiment. Primatech had not been developed to control the lives of everyone with abilities, but it had ended up going to far. How could they try the same sort of thing, without making the same mistakes. "We've seen the damage that can come from that. We won't let it happen again." Gabriel said, his voice had a force behind it. They were shaping a new world, and were all aware of the fact that there would always be threats, but it was the way they faced those threats that would determine the outcome.

Peter opened his mouth to respond, but then a buzzing sound rang out to cut him off. Elle arched a brow, knowing what that signal meant, "Someone's at the door?" She questioned, watching Peter stand and walk to the monitor that sat at his desk, he looked angry. "It's Adam Monroe." He looked up to all of them, as if he were waiting for a tribunal on whether or not to let the resurrected immortal in. Aurora also moved to stand, "Let him in. Adam and I have a history of sorts, I'll meet him at the door."

Elle could tell Peter was not comfortable with Aurora's offer, but if he was completely against it, he did not voice it as such. "Okay." Aurora exited and then began the waiting game, in silence. Elle slid a hand to grasp Gabriel's, and he gave her hand a tight squeeze. She can see the aggression in his brow, and that was a move to calm him, steady him. He had been struggling more with the hunger, like an addict who initially found it so easy to get clean, but battles the physical and psychological withdrawals. It would not surprise her at this point if it got to him enough he would use his telekinesis the moment Adam entered.

But he kept it under control, as the blond man entered behind Aurora, giving the raven haired woman a leer as she rejoined her companions. Peter stepped to the forefront, "What are you doing here Adam? What do you want?" The smile on Adam's face made Elle's skin crawl, she could not believe she had once found him somewhat charming. "Why Peter, can't a man have a meeting with a few of his old friends? Save for tall, dark and scowling over there, all of us go back quite a long way."

Gabriel stood, letting his hand come loose from his mate. "I'm Gabriel Gray, also know as Sylar. I'd say it was a pleasure to meet you, but I'd be lying." The confidence that Adam seemed to be emanating was somewhat unnerving to the group, except for Aurora. She stood there smiling pleasantly back at him, that was probably why the blond man had not looked at her much since he made his entrance. "Ah, I hear that congratulations are in order. You've managed to hook yourself quite a gal there, Mr. Gray. And quite the treasure she's carrying."

That was the phrase that triggered them all, Gabriel moved in front of Elle, who also moved to stand. She held out her right hand, her fingers curling in preparation for the electricity that would come moments later. The cocky grin that had been on Aurora's face faded, and her tone became so dark, even Peter and Gabriel were a bit surprised. "I think it's best if you leave now Adam." She closed a few feet that were between them and suddenly Adam's smile seemed to crack as well. "Ahh, my dear. I don't even think you all know the impact of what has happened, what that child will mean to this world." He was not backing down, not yet, but neither was Aurora. "It's quite a pity, you know? His grandfather would have surely been able to usher in a new era with the help of that child."

"If you ever get near him, I'll be sure that the 'tests' you suffered in your cell at my hand become your permanent place of residence, Adam." His expression finally faltered, as if he were seeing something that only he and Aurora were privy too. "Leave. Now."

He did not make one last snarky remark, but turned on heel and exited the room. After a few moments, Peter moved to the desk to watch as Adam left the building. But his words left them all with questions, so many running through each mind. Who had brought Adam back? How had they done it? What did he mean about the baby?

"He won't stay gone. It's not in his nature." Aurora said, turning to face them with her arms crossed about her chest. Peter looked to Gabriel, waiting for some course of action to be planned out. "It doesn't matter. He's not getting near Elle or the baby. And whoever brought him back is going to pay for creating this mess."


	2. Family, Matters?

_A/N – There isn't as much of a presence of Elle and Gabriel in this chapter, but I want to introduce some of the ensemble, and Elle/Gabriel/Peter/Aurora will be the main characters throughout this story. Also, for those of you that are here via Livejournal, there is a graphic in my journal with a dark haired Sarah Michelle Gellar as Aurora. I thought she fit nicely._

"I had another dream, Peter." Angela stated, her voice cool and collected as it always was. She had demanded to see him, so he had finally agreed. "Actually, it was very similar to one I had recently." Peter was only half listening to her, he still did not trust her. He did not regard Nathan as the politician came in behind him. Peter had asked him to come, their mother had some what left him out of the loop, and it would be the first time since their father's death the boys had been together around mother. "You know the one, Peter. Claire's lost her head, everyone's dead or dying. And then at the end of the hallway appears Tracy Strauss, Adam Monroe, Flint, and Knox." Angela seemed to smile at the way Nathan's grimace deepened at the idea of his lover being involved in something shady, but she simply continued, "And then of course, your brother Gabriel pops up behind me."

"Ma, what are you talking about?" Both Angela and Peter had gotten so used to the idea of Gabriel as a part of the family, but it seemed no one had taken the time to inform Nathan of what was going on. "Gabriel Gray is your brother, Dear. I gave him up for adoption, to protect him from your father." Angela did not seem to care if her son accepted it or not, her favor between her children always seemed to be shifting. "We're not here to talk about your supposed visions, mother. You're still on probation with everyone. I came here to inform you that I'm letting you decide what to do with Dad's ashes. I don't want them. Not after what he became." Peter knew that Angela loved her husband, probably even when he was attempting to kill her, trap her, maybe that was what truly motivated her. If she could beat him, she would prove her worth and he would stop putting her after his schemes.

"I'll take them Pete. I'm still not sure I like how this all worked out...or the fact that you claim that murderous psychopath is my brother." Nathan seemed almost too calm, especially after he had made the decision before their father's death that he would align with Pinehearst. "He is, and if he would have stayed with us, he never would have been in that mess. You forgave your father for his sins, and he did them without any sort of hunger." Why did she always speak as if she had the only voice of reason? It bothered Peter, and he was feeling very uncomfortable stuck between the two of them. "Look, I have to meet with Aurora. I'll leave you two to talk about the recent revelation."

He trusted Gabriel now. He noticed the changes in him, though he still caught that glimmer of destruction in his eye. Like the when Adam threatened Elle, he had no doubt thoughts of throwing Adam against the wall and giving him the 'Sylar Haircut' flashed through Gabriel's mind. The meeting with Aurora had been a lie, but he he decided it might be a good idea to check in on her anyways. She had been working diligently to make contact with anyone she knew that might help them against Adam. The future for once was filled with question marks, what would happen, who would live, who would die, and what was so special about the tiny organism growing within Elle.

He leaned in the doorway of the office that Aurora had claimed, waiting her to finish the phone call she was on. "It's good to know you recovered from the wounds, Claude. Even better to know that I could actually track you down. Always good to hear from an old friend, especially who's willing to participate in our little revolution. I'll check in with you again soon." She hung up, and he moved inward to make her aware of his presence, "Claude, as in, the Invisible Man?" Aurora nodded, smiling "I knew him back when I first came to the company, and we kept in touch after he left. I figured he might work with us, being against bagging and tagging and all."

She stood and walked around the desk, wearing a smart looking blouse and dark wash jeans. Peter smiled when she leaned against the front of it, closer to him. The obvious tension between them was something everyone seemed to be aware of, save for Aurora herself, he still did not understand why. He had regained nearly all his powers, and with that confidence he had a feeling he would be able to tell her what he really thought about whenever she was in room. She was different than the other women he had been into, though she was sweet, she was very strong and independent. Like a more well adjusted version of his mother, he would hazard.

"If he didn't want to help, I could always you know..." The world around them suddenly shifted, and instead of standing in her office, they were on some tropical island, standing in the just bright enough sunlight as waves lapped against the shore nearby. "Sweeten the offer." She winked at him, and his smirk grew slightly, but then something snapped with him in. The last power he had taken, roared to make it's presence known within him, and before he could utter some sort of warning to Aurora, the hunger had taken him.

She was suddenly pushed backwards onto the desk by unseen arms, a look of terror filling her face. "Peter, No. Peter!" She knew what was happening, they had all discussed what might happen when this occurred, that was part of the reason why Gabriel and Peter had been spending so much time together. "You can control it." She could not see him, until he moved forward a few feet and leaned over her, his face fearsome. "What if I don't want too, Ror? What if it's not meant to be controlled? I could take your power if I wanted, but this way I understand it, why it works? Something you've never uncovered."

His fingers slowly rose, and she shut her eyes tightly in anticipation of the pain that was coming. Fear crippled her, made her unable to use her power to defend herself in some way. She could feel the pressure of his opposite hand on her shoulder, even though he did not need it to hold her in place. And then suddenly the pressure was gone.

Her eyes fluttered open, too see Peter pinned on the opposite wall, and Gabriel in her door way. "Peter." he growls, and advances. It is the epic struggle that seems to persist between them, ying and yang, dark and light. There is a balance there, even when they are playing for the same side, it seems. "I will not let you become a monster...Like I was. I'll knock you out, or have the Haitian drug you if we have too. But I'd rather you show me that you can control this, the hunger can be sated in other ways." He released his bond on his brother, and placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "You're strong, you can control his...I know you can. You are not like me. Not like I was."

The battle that is happening internally can be read on Peter's face, and for a moment Gabriel can see his brother's right hand raising, his pointer finger extended. He worries for a moment that Peter is not as capable as he hoped, but when it clasps onto his shoulder as well, he knew the worry was not needed. Aurora had sat up at this point, and Peter feared she would see him differently now, but when his eyes meant her he was met with a looking of understanding, and concern.

"I'm...Fine. In control." He said, still looking at her. She moved off the desk, and Gabriel back peddled slightly. Extending a hand she gripped his bicep and gave it a squeeze, "I know."


	3. Righting Wrongs

They were amassing their forces the best they could, and things seemed to becoming together quite nicely. Everyone was calling upon those they knew, and thought would help, to protect a child that had yet to exist. In some ways this baffled Gabriel, he was still learning to understand what it meant to care about others so much you would risk your life for them in a moment. But he was thankful for it. As he came into the Loft that night, Elle could see that he was looking a little worn around the edges, she had also noticed sometimes at night he would get up and pace around their bed. The path to redemption was apparently not a very easy one.

"You okay?" She asked, knowing the answer to the question already. "Not really, no." He shook his head, heaving out a sigh before finally meeting her gaze for the first time since he had entered. "Peter had an...Outburst. And I know it was not me that gave him this power, but seeing the look in his eyes, seeing him pin Aurora and go in for the kill..." He stopped. He did not want to go further, for fear that this beautiful creature before him would see him as a monster again. Beauty and her serial killer, psychopathic, Beast.

"I saw it his eyes, the hunger. And a part of me was revolted, but a part of me was....Jealous." He was shocked when she did not run in fear from him, when he admitted to her the darkness was still there, and a part of him deep down wanted to give into it. She took a hard look at him, and then took a few steps forward, bringing her hands up to cup the sides of his face gently. "You can't just expect what's in your nature to go away...And I don't expect it either."

He pulled away, turning his back to her. Elle felt suddenly cold by the motion, but she was not going to give up on him, he had saved her in a way no one else had ever even attempted, she could never give up on him. "You don't understand, Elle. If I crack, if I loose control for even a moment, those I love will suffer the consequences. And they'll be severe." She came up behind him, and wrapped her arms around his waist, though he was still very stiff against her. He pressed her head sideways against his back, "You won't. You have so many things to hold onto. Gabriel, I'm not expecting you to be a boy scout, and I know that sometimes you put on this show for me...I don't want that. I only want you. Dark, light. Doesn't matter. You."

He relaxed in her arms, mostly because she was the first person in his life that was not trying to make him into something. There were no attempts at manipulation between them, and that made everything a little easier on him. He took one of her arms, and pulled it away from him, then lead her around his body till she was standing in front of him. Words did not seem like enough at this point, so he brought her palm up to his mouth and kissed it gently, then moved to her wrist, and repeated the action. He continued until his lips found hers, the anticipation that had built from the journey making it very infused with the passion they felt for each other.

But the swing of the doorway caused them to separate quite quickly, trying to feign as if nothing had been going on moments before. Claire appeared in the hallway that led to the loft entrance, a smile on her face, and she appeared to have a boy that Elle recognized from the time she had been assigned to track Claire. "Am I interrupting something?"

"What's he doing here?" She questioned, Elle knew that Zach was not someone with abilities, so she did not understand why Claire would have him in tow. "Because he's not a threat, and no one really knows him. Besides, we're all calling on people we can trust. He's very trust worthy." Elle almost laughed at the question Gabriel posed next, "And where is he planning to stay?" So fatherly. It also reminded her that eventually they would have to talk to Glasses again. She hoped there would be bullet proof glass between them, when that discussion was held.

"With Matt and Daphne. I figured you two wouldn't approve, even if you are living in sin." Gabriel gave Claire a look as if he did not appreciate her little joke. But deep down he realized she was right, and it made him anxious suddenly. "Just have him home at a decent hour, okay?" He turned a little, taking Elle gently by the arm. "I need to have a chat with my Baby Mama."

He lead Elle back to their bedroom, and she was nervous about how perplexed he looked, worrying he might still be hung up on what had happened earlier. "Gabriel, what's wrong?" He sighed, and looked to the floor a moment before meeting her eyes. "She's right." She was going to inquire as to what he meant, but he was on one knee before she could get the words out. "Elle Marie Bishop, will you marry me?" She was expecting him to stutter when he did this, be more Gabriel than holding the confidence he did when he was Sylar. But there was only one answer she could give him.

"Probably." She smirked and shrugged her shoulders, and he lifted a brow. "I mean you did knock me up, shotgun wedding seems like the right thing to do as a follow up." She winked, before leaning down to kiss him.


	4. Lather, Rinse, Repeat?

_A/N – I've considered incorporating some of the canon things that are happening into this SL. I don't think it's going to happen. In my world, Gabriel is a Petrelli. Whether he's a full Petrelli or not, haven't decided. This chapter is short, but somewhat dense in plot movement._

News traveled fast between the small community of 'heroes'. It was almost too close for comfort, everyone seeming to know what was going on with everyone else. But maybe that was the entire point of banding together, they were a makeshift family, that had to count for something. Everyone was aware of the fact that a wedding would be far off, but the mere fact that Gabriel was also wearing a band on his finger, was enough to signify to everyone the intent the couple had, even if the official piece of paper had yet to be signed.

Everything seemed to be going according to plan, even better in some respects. Aurora and Peter were actually spending more time together than they had before, as if the twisted moment they had shared only served to bring them closer together. Aurora had always been the time to support someone in times trouble, she had been raised with an alcohol father who was constantly trying to give up the stuff, but did not manage it until seven years of trying. Peter's struggle with the hunger probably seemed a lot less taxing to her, on some level.

Elle had taken on a strict 'No powers' policy during her pregnancy, she was not entirely sure how the level of electricity her body could hold would affect the unborn. Gabriel had been torn about the decision because it made her vulnerable, but he also did not want the child to be harmed in any way. It was an odd idea to him, to already be so in love with a child that had yet to even be more than the size of coffee bean. Because she was unable to protect herself, he rarely left her side.

Elle Bishop had been taken against her will three times in her life time, once when Glasses got a hold of her, and the two other times had been at the hands of Arthur Petrelli. The fourth time it was by a man she despised more than both Arthur and Bennett at their worst and combined. Adam Monroe. He had enlisted a young woman who was able to phase through walls, and she had brought Flint and Knox along for the ride. It was the one time Gabriel had left her alone in the apartment for almost a month, no one had been expecting Adam to be laying that much in wait, hoping for the perfect opportunity to come running and whisk Elle away.

Due to the rule against using her ability, and the fact that getting tossed around could harm her unborn child, Elle really could not fight back this time. She had let Flint and Knox grasp her by the arms, and Knox had looked down at her with a furrowed brow. "Why ain't you scared? No one's gonna save you." Elle simply rolled her eyes, not giving him the satisfaction of looking back at him. "I've been through this before, and it's getting old." She sighed as they led her down the stairs, phasing their way out of the back of the building thanks to Adam's new found ally. "You kidnap me. Hatch some sort of evil plan to use to me as a plot device in, and then BAM. It goes awry and someone ends up dead but only for a few hours, or falls in love with me, or someone ends up permanently dead. It'll be some variation on the dead theme with this one, I'd guess."

Flint looked at her as if she were speaking some sort of foreign language, and once again Elle rolled her eyes. "Here. I'll translate. You take me. Adam uses me. Gabriel does bad things that you don't recover from. Better? I thought so."


	5. Rage

_A/N – Couldn't have done any of this without the immense and awesome help of Catyuy!_

He had both Claire and Peter in tow that night on his way back, they had met him at the grocery stor, that was part of why he did not think it would be too bad if he left her alone for twenty minutes. They were out of waffle cone ice cream, and he knew if he did not have some the next time her craving hit, being sliced through the chest with a samurai sword would have been nothing compared to the pain the look on Elle's face as she collapsed to the floor in an irrational crying fit. He really could not seem to stand the thought of her in any sort of pain, she had been through too much in her short twenty-five years, and he was not going to be one to add to that.

When they had first arrived back at the Loft, he had figured she was just in the bedroom, or bathroom. She was always in the bathroom nowadays, if she was not throwing up the contents of her stomach, she was relieving the seemingly constant pressure on her bladder. But when he did not find her, he realized that the ice cream was something he should have taken the hit for, and stayed with her. "This can't be happening." He thought, "Not again." This time he did not fall to the floor, filled with loss and confusion, this time there was only one word to describe the emotion coursing through is veins.

Rage.

"Have Matt get Molly. We're finding Adam and I'm going to kill him." Gabriel said, in a tone that alarmed Peter, it was so reminiscent of the nemesis he had once known. He blew past his brother, heading for the exit with a determined look on his face. "Gabe, where are you going?" The former villain did not so much as turn around, "I'm not waiting for you to get Molly, I'm going to start my own man hunt, and if she happens to locate him, I suggest I'm the first person you call." Peter used the power he had taken from Hiro to appear suddenly in the way of his brother, shaking his head. "No. This is not the way. Where ever she is, she's safe. Adam won't hurt her, he needs her and the baby." His hand moved to grasp the taller man's shoulder, as if to steady him. "You're not going to loose her Gabriel, we'll get her back before anything goes to far."

Peter would never had admitted it, but the fiery look in Gabriel's eyes reminded him too much of the fight in Kirby Plaza. Vicious motivation to make whatever he was going after come to fruition. But he also knew the man standing before him was not Sylar, and his anger was not directed towards him. It was then Claire started to interject, a voice of reason that seemed to ring more true than Peter's was for the moment. "If you run in there, massacre everyone that gets in your way, and manage to kill Adam....Do you think Elle is going to embrace you and your blood soaked hands and shirt with open arms?" She moved to stand between Peter and Gabriel, the line between yin and yang, a line of balance.

"She'll always love you, that I don't doubt. But if you resort to becoming what you've worked so hard to fight against? I'm not sure she'll forgive that." Claire Bennett was blossoming into the kind of strong young woman her father would have been proud of. Too bad he had pushed her so far with he negligence, he was not there to see it. But very soon, she would be strong enough to go back and show him what he had been missing out on, every time he chose a mission over time with her. She had used a phone Elle had gotten her to call her mother at least every other day, and Sandra seemed to share the sentiment on some level, but her love for her husband prevented her from telling him exactly how she felt. Claire loved her family, both immediate and extended, and that was motivation enough for her to keep pushing herself till she achieved some sort of independence.

The loathing in Gabriel's face faded, till there was nothing left but defeat. "I...I'm sorry. You're right. I can't do that, can't risk that." Suddenly Claire felt as if her new found Uncle had returned to them, and the Sylar mask he had worn was just that, a facade ushered to the surface by the loss of his mate. His pregnant mate none the less. Elle had mentioned something Noah had said to her, when Claire had asked more questions about the time they had worked together. About how Claire's father had mentioned how whales only sung in the wild, and the magnificence of their song could not be heard in captivity. The ache Gabriel seemed to feel over his mate felt as if it fit the analogy quite well, and only convince Claire further that the 'Beast' and his Beauty were truly meant to be.

"I'll go back to Pinehearst. We'll work out a plan, and call in everyone. This time it will be a strategic hit, as well as a rescue. Adam won't expect that." Peter had said over her shoulder, and she nodded in agreement with his notion. "He's expecting you to act on emotion, irrationally. Then if you do run in there telekinesis blazing, Elle either won't accept what you've done to procure her safety, or he'll manage to kill you and take you out of the equation completely. Either way, you loose." Hope glimmered faintly in his eyes now, probably at the remembrance that he was no longer in all of this alone, he had a family and friends to help him. To save him from himself.

Peter put a hand on both of there shoulders, and within a moment they were at their destination. Standing a few feet away was Aurora, and when she saw the three of them at first she was unaffected. But the moment she saw the look on Gabriel's face, and the absence of Elle, she knew something had gone terribly wrong. "When did the son of a Bitch get to her? I'll kill him myself. Or put him in a perpetual Hell until the day I die of old age, and then let one of the children I have yet to conceive kill him." Adam's death seemed to be a common reaction to Elle's disappearance. Peter moved to her, taking her hand into his to calm her. "In the last half hour, and when we finish our plan, I'd love to give you the opportunity to do that last thing you mentioned." He had left out the fact that he hoped to be the father of those future children, because he still had not mustered the guts to tell her how he felt about her.

"Oh, you have a plan? Lovely. Let's go." She said, lacing her hand with his and beginning to walk, before his absence of motion stopped hers. "Not yet, but we will. We're calling everyone. And by everyone, we mean EVERYONE." Gabriel nodded, and looked to Claire. "I know the last time we saw him, your father was trying to kill us, but I would hope that when the future of the world is at stake...He might reconsider his loyalties? Can you....get in contact with him?" Claire nodded, this was all sooner than she had hoped, but in times of emergency sometimes times tables had to be set aside for the greater good.

"Of course. I'll do it right now...And Meredith, I'll call Meredith. I've been meaning to let her in on what was happening, everything's just been to hectic." She left, heading to find the nearest phone. Aurora had not loosened her digits from Peter's, and despite this moment of urgency, he was happy for the comfort. Maybe she needed it too. "We'll go work on amassing whoever else we can for the moment..." Gabriel held up a hand, signifying for them to wait, shaking his head lightly. "I really don't think you should leave me to my own devices at the moment, I can't be trusted to stick to the decisions we're making. I'm coming with you."


	6. Pretty Cages

_A/N – I will continue to attempt to include all characters that fans have been asking for, and I'll do my best to write them correctly. Nathan P. will likely not be a strong point for me, since most his SL's in the show are tied to Niki/Tracy and I can't really stand her. He'll reappear in the near future, though. Also, I'm going to say at this point, Elle is just over two months pregnant. Some time passed between the death of Arthur and the beginning of Fractured Facades. Thanks for reading! 3_

Elle found the setup for her stay with Adam quite cliché, he would likely go down in the bad guy hall of fame for being the most unoriginal. There was a dress hung over the chair in front of a very elegant vanity, it's color electric blue. The note attached simply had the words "Wear this", and Elle could not help but roll her eyes at it. But none the less she tried it on, looking at her reflection with some scrutiny, the short dress hugged her ever curve, and was cut a few inches below where it would be come completely scandalous. A good majority of her back was exposed, and for the first time in years she realized she looked quite sexy.

Her mind toyed with the idea of Gabriel bursting in, pummeling Adam and seeing her in the dress, the look on his face as they had a sort of epic movie kiss. But a part of her hoped deep down he would take his time with this, not rush in guns blazing. There was a polite knock at the door, and none other than Tracy Strauss walked in shortly after it. "You look stunning. He'll be pleased." Elle raised her chin confidently, "I really don't give a rat's ass what he thinks." Tracy shook her head, her tongue clicking in disapproval of Elle's attitude.

"He's going to change the world, and I've no doubt you're hoping to hold on to the idea your boyfriend's gonna come save you. Newsflash, kid, he'll fail. And you've got bigger things to worry about." Tracy made a motion to the open door, and Elle made her way towards it, watching as Tracy followed. "Adam thinks you're needed, I think that's speculation. Your child is needed...but you? You're expendable. I plan to make him see that those children do need a mother, but maybe not necessarily _their_ mother. So, maybe you should focus on staying alive beyond the birth of your child."

Elle stopped in the hall, pivoting to face the woman who was verbally accosting her. "Wow. And I thought I was a psychobitch before, you really are going for the gold with this whole Ice Queen schtick, aren't you? Sucks that he's not obsessed with you, and that you're not carrying the golden child. Sucks even more that you don't scare me. Ah, well." Elle feigned a sigh and shrugged her shoulders, pivoting again and heading for the door that Knox was holding open for her. She blew a kiss to Tracy, who was still standing in shock, as she went through the door way. Being free of all her baggage seemed to have a freeing effect on not only her mind, but her confidence. She refused to let herself be used, demeaned or bullied.

He was of course sitting at the head of the table, as she had expected. Instead of taking the position at the opposite that was expected, set with fine linen and more forks than she knew how to use, she breezed past it and took the seat right next to him. She was going to be neither his slave nor his victim, she was his equal. She leaned an elbow on the table, cupping her chin in her palm as she looked at him with an innocent smile. "All this for little ole me? You shouldn't have." The grin on his own face was wicked, almost Cheshire like. "Of course, dear. What did you expect? A cage?"

"Something along those lines." She shrugged, not loosing her confidence at all. He may have thought he had the upper hand, but he was mistaken, or at least it was her belief he was. "No cage. You're the mother to the most precious thing in the universe, and not to mention much to lovely to be kept in a cage. Or a loft." The look he was now giving her was making her uncomfortable, because she had a feeling what he was going to say next, and she did not want to hear it. "He is your cage. Like your father was before him. Do you really believe he's changed Elle? The only reason I'd bet he hasn't bashed in the doors, killed everything in sight to free you, is because he's got Peter holding him down, Matt in his head, Aurora causing some sort of illusion of you being there, something like that."

Elle finally recoiled, sitting back in her chair, shaking her head. "You're wrong. He's different now, better." Adam laughed, and suddenly she was reminded he was centuries old, like some sort of god and she was nothing more than a small child in terms of life to him. "Always so naive, Elle. It must be depressing to think you're just a vessel for the use of others. Bob, and now Gabriel, to bring the catalyst into the world. You realize Arthur stole it before he passed?" Her teeth clenched tightly together, it was taking everything in her to control her anger, and not shock him into oblivion. "You're lying."

He scoffed once again, maybe that was why he was getting too her, he sounded as if he were completely sure his words were true. "Am I?" He peered at her quizzically, as if he were mentally picking her apart, hoping to pull at the fragile seams of a sanity that was once always on the brink. But that was not who she was anymore. "Yes, you are." His gaze stayed locked with her, tightly, until he finally sighed. "Well, if I'm not, I have an offer for you."

He leaned in closer, and her skin managed to crawl in reaction. The thought of him touching her, was enough to illicit her gag reflex, which was particularly sensitive as of late. "You are the mother of something you've yet to understand the impact of, and as you know I have an affinity for you. Stockholm syndrome, all that....If I can show you that Gabriel is indeed not what he leads you to believe, and that I can protect you and your child from his ill intents, would you align with me?"

The last words he said had no signs of business in them, but yearning. As if they had a completely different meaning than the one they held. She knew deep down he was not asking her to become his ally, but to cast off the right that sat on her finger, and replace it with something of him. He was of course not proposing to her, but asking her to choose him, to become some sort of twisted queen in the new world order he no doubt was planning. "Wouldn't matter if I agreed, you'll never prove that to me."

"Give me time, lovely...Give me time."


	7. Family Meetings

_A/N – I'm a little sad the reviews have really dropped off, but due to the fact that Catyuy continues to inspire me, I'll soldier on. Feedback is VERY welcome. _

None of them had ever done this, at least not in the way they were doing it now. It was always their parents taking the lead and them gladly following in their stead, and now the time had come for them to step into those shoes of leadership. Peter was somewhat nervous, as he looked around the room. But it was both due to the presences there, and the fact that Angela had revealed moments before that not only were he and Gabriel brothers, but fraternal twins. Truly different sides to the same coin. Now they both knew, it and made their instant balance to each other all the more clear.

Everyone was there. Bennett and Zach were sitting to the side of Claire at the opposite end of the room, on her other side was Sandra and Meredith. Claire had demanded that Sandra attend, she felt as if this was as much her fight as anyone else's. Lyle had also tagged along, but he had opted to play X-box in Peter's office. Matt, Daphne, Hiro, Ando, Claude and Aurora all made up for the sides that of the circle that lead to where the Petrelli's sat. Nathan had come, but Peter was getting the distinct feeling he held the whole meeting with disdain. They were waiting on Gabriel, who had needed a moment to steady himself after Angela's familial revelation, but he eventually made his entrance. The look on his face was one of composure, and confidence, so much so that Peter noted the symbolism of the moment. Almost as if Arthur were coming to sit at the round table, seeking to rescue a captured Guenevere.

He opened his mouth to address the crowd, and suddenly the saw a familiar blond face peeking around the corner, and below her a child's face that was equally familiar appeared below her. "Niki? Micah?" Nathan was the first one to say it, but Matt was the one to deny his suspicion. "Micah yes...You're not Niki, or Tracy..." She smiled, and there was a simplicity that neither of the other women had, an innocence. "No, My name is Barbara." The door swung further open, to reveal the third triplet, the son of her lost sister, and a man they could only assume was with them. "This is my husband, Raphael Simms. Micah found me, through the computer....And well, he found y'all the same way, I'd assume. He said there was somethin' about a gatherin'? Savin' the world or somethin' like that?" A light southern accent lit her voice, and it almost immediately differentiated her from her sisters.

"Come in, please." Peter was the first to say, Matt and Daphne went to pull up chairs for them to sit in. Barbara looked to where Peter and Gabriel were standing at the head of the room, "We heard what was happenin', and we'd like to help y'all out, if we can. I'm able to kinda look at the way things might end up, before they end up, probability and all that. Raph here can see dead people. If it means savin' the world, well, we can't much walk away and not offer to help." Gabriel nodded his head, because he believed what she was saying to be true. This was not some kind of trick where Adam had forced Tracy to pretend or something along those lines, though he would expect no less from Adam. "Of course, you're welcome to join us."

They settled in, and Gabriel picked up where he had left off. "He has Elle. Now I'm sure you all know that makes me personally...invested...since he has my unborn child as well...My family. But he's said that there's something special about the baby, something that will allow him to change this world." His voice almost boomed throughout the room, it's lower tone carrying well acoustically. "Adam Monroe is a mad man, who will stop at nothing to achieve his ends. It's up to us to see to it that he doesn't."

Bennett moved to stand, as if he wanted to be level with Gabriel, and their leader was unsure if it was a show of equality or intimidation. He had not had the chance to communicate privately with 'Glasses', and their last encounter had consisted of them both attempting to kill each other. "Well, clearly we need to get Elle back. And you don't know it, but that girl right there," He pointed to Aurora. "Is your best weapon against him. She won't come out right and say it, because she thinks what the company had her do to Adam was wrong....but she maybe the only person that Adam Monroe truly fears. Get her close, and then have the rest of us run interference." The attention of the crowd moved to the normally extroverted brunette, but now she looked as if she wanted to hide in her own skin. The look in Gabriel's eyes pleaded with her, begging her to just give Bennett's plan a chance, or comment if she thought of a better one.

She did not stand, but shook her head slowly. "They knew his body couldn't be broken, and that he aimed to get the virus and destroy the world as we know it....They figured if I could break his mind, then he would be harmless. I put Adam Monroe in my own twisted version of Wonderland for every day for almost two years...." Her voice trailed off, and she looked down, eyes not lifting once again to face those around her. "...It almost broke me." What most probably did not realize is that Aurora had to think up her own illusions, though the thoughts of wicked things were planted in the minds of those around her, she had to be the one to bring them to light. But seeing all those depraved things always took a toll on her. "But I nearly took him down with me."

Claude had put a hand on her shoulder, not so much to comfort her but to steady her. He was not exactly the touchy type. "As much as it pains me to say, Bennett is right. We need to get the lass in there, and then work on takin' out his other resources." Peter now stood up, acknowledging his once mentor. "Either myself, Hiro, or Daphne would be able to get her the closest the quickest. Hiro is not one of Adam's favorite people, I have other abilities....I think Daphne might be our best option." The platinum blond nodded her head to agree, leaning forward a little.

Gabriel gained the floor once again, "We know he has Flint, Knox, Tracy and someone that can phase through walls. He may have more, so we go in as prepared as we can. We will move out in two days." He was all business, which worried Peter a little. Everyone in the room knew he was hurting, knew deep down he was suffering. "For now, We'll finish up details in smaller groups later. Meeting adjourned."

People began to stand and shuffle out of the room, Peter went straight to Barbara and Micah, hoping to get a further feel of their background and where they were at with everything. But it was who Claude approached that was the most surprising, as he headed towards the Bennett clan. He first hugged Sandra, "It's good to see you again, it's been far too long." After releasing her, he moved towards Bennett, his fist swinging faster than the former agent could react. Bennett reeled back, but the blow was entirely unexpected, after all the last time the two had seen each other, he had put three bullets in Claude. "Noah." Was all he uttered before Aurora caught up to him, and on his way out he also acknowledged Peter, "Seems the Poodle has evolved into a pitbull." Aurora just smiled, giving Peter a playful wink as support after the teasing blow before he exited behind Claude.

But Gabriel stood alone.


	8. Doll house

_A/N – I'm a little sad the reviews have really dropped off, but due to the fact that Catyuy continues to inspire me, I'll soldier on. Feedback is VERY welcome. _

Elle was alone. Adam had left her in her room all by herself, until she heard a weak knock at the door. When she opened it, a small girl appeared before her, she could not be older than ten. She looked up at Elle with big brown eyes, and almost reminded Elle of her own sad childhood. "Can I play with you?" She questioned, holding up two dolls, one blond, one brunette. "Umm, I guess..." Elle responded, wondering if this was some sort of trap that Adam was posing. "Yay!" The child exclaimed, rushing around her into the room, and jumping up onto the bed behind Elle.

The woman spun to watch her, obviously seeing that something was quite different about this girl, maybe it was because she herself had been such a disturbed child, she could recognize it in others. "You take this one." The girl said, extending the doll that resembled Elle. "I'm Marie, and you are Elle. You're the one with the special babies inside you, I'm supposed to help you. Help you see how bad the bad man is, help you know what he's doing...They want me to help you...." The girl's gaze seemed to drift off around Elle, until her eyes suddenly focused right on Elle. "Can I play with you?"

Elle took the doll, and sat on the bed, speaking in a voice that was higher than her own. "Hi, I'm Elle...izabeth." The girl smiled, and made her doll appear to nod. "I'm Mary, you're very pretty, do you have a boyfriend?" The older woman quirked a brow, finding that to be an odd question a child would ask her. "Yes, I do. He's nice." The little girl seemed so fixated on their dolls, it felt odd to her. "I know he is, you know they like him right? The ones that love you? The ones you lost? But that's not what I'm supposed to tell you. I'm supposed to tell you he's a bad man, because Mr. Monroe is going to make the world better, he's going to fix it. Fix the bad man. You fix the bad man. But he's still broken, why is he broken?"

Elle's head tilted to the side, completley confused by what this child was asking, but she tried her best to answer. "Um...because I couldn't fix him? Because he hurt a lot of people?" Marie shook her head, and shot Elle a look that almost seemed angry. "No. They say you're wrong, the blond woman and the grandma. He's broken when he looses you, he looses you and he goes and he kills. He can't fight the demon inside him, and he has to let it out, and then everyone looses their head. You fix the bad man. You fix the bad man." The girl was still talking and moving the doll as if they were playing, but Elle understood parts of what she was trying to say, she could only hope it was not true. That even now without her, Gabriel was able to control himself. "Who are the blond woman and the grandmother?"

"They're standing next to me, they're watching the bad man while you're gone. The blond woman, she looks like you, a lot. But not. She's someone else." Elle could tell this girl had some sort of ability that was guiding this meandering speech, but she was not sure the nature of it. Was the blond woman some apparition of herself that was watching over Gabriel? Making sure he kept on the straight and narrow? Just thinking about him made her long to be in his arms again, cuddled close against his chest, safe.

"Well, what did Mr. Monroe send Marie to talk to Elle for?" She used the dolls to ask the question that was plaguing her mind. "He doesn't want me to tell her about the women, and to tell her that the bad man is killing people, because Mr. Monroe is in love with Elle, and he wants the special babies. Liliana and Michael. Liliana Marie and Michael Noah." At first when the girl had said it, Elle did not understand the names. Liliana had been her grandmother's name, Marie of course was the girl before her, She did not recognize the name of Michael, but Noah had to be 'Glasses', as far as she knew. So what did all the names mean put together and why did this lost little girl keep saying "babies" not baby?

"Oh shit." Elle's eyes widened as it all started to come together in her mind. "You're a medium." She muttered, mostly to herself as the girl was still to focused on playing with their dolls, so Elle joined back in. "Does Marie have the power to talk to people that...that...aren't with us anymore? Dead?" She used her doll to ask, hoping the girl would get her meaning. Marie made the doll's head nod fervently, "Mhm, she can see them and sometimes they tell her things, about the past and what's going to happen. That's how she knows about the bad man, and Mr. Monroe and the babies." Elle only knew about the power the girl had because she had read it in a file once, Raphael something, she could not place the name, her mind was now racing too fast.

"Is Elle having more than one baby? Does the blond woman know her? Is the grandma named Liliana too?" This time the girl let the doll fall to the bed, smiling up at her with a creepy look on her face. "I thought playing with you would help you understand. Babies. Two. The little girl, she's the most special, she can make people have powers, like her auntie Claire, but better. And Mikey, he's supposed to protect her, he can make a giant hamster ball around them, and make them safe." Marie looked so proud of herself, as if she needed Elle to probe her for the answers, as if that was the way she worked. Or maybe it was just the restrictions Adam had put on this frail girl. "Liliana is glad you know who they are, she was worried you wouldn't understand. But, they're going to leave now, because bad man is alone and he's sad. They're going to watch him and make sure you can fix him. Ooh, Mr. Monroe is going to be so mad at me for helping."

Everything the girl said always seemed to run right together, as if it were all one thought. Maybe for her, it was. "Tell you what, Marie, this can be our little secret...He wanted you to get me to believe the bad man is hurting people right? Well, I can pretend you did, and pretend I don't...want to fix the bad man anymore. We'll keep you safe, and when the bad man comes to save me? He'll save you too."

Marie looked suddenly more perplexed, "He'll save the babies too, won't he?" She did not seem to understand that the babies were not born yet, and that they came with Elle as a package deal. "Yes, he will dear....

He'll save us all."


	9. Nothing can separate us

_A/N – Special thanks to both Catyuy and my own personal Clark Kent for inspiration. _

_PLEASE let me know what you think, the more input, the more motivated I am to write. :D_

Gabriel had been the one that made Molly and Micah stay at Primatech, but they had plenty of company. In the large conference room, Sandra, Lyle and Zach all sat close to where the children stood at a desk, a myriad of electronic equipment before them. And of course, Mr. Muggles and Turtle were there as well, boring into each other with never ending looks. Lyle thought they were having a staring contest, but he was incorrect in his assumption, Mr. Muggles was attempting to intimidate Turtle, and show him that he was the true leader of all these people. Everyone caved to Muggles need to have his tummy scratched, so clearly, he was in charge.

Turtle was apt to remind him, his brain was about the size of a walnut.

Molly would be their navigation system, she had a small microphone hanging on her ear, and if they needed to locate someone, they could ask for her help. Micah was using the advance technology at Primatech to talk to the system of the building Adam was in, so any electronic locks were not going to be a problem. Zach was on snack duty, and Sandra was of course there to insure they all stayed in line, not that anyone would need reprimanding. They all knew what was riding on this moment.

Micah smiled as he took down the security system, and the grin on Molly's face told him their friends had made it inside.

But this was what Adam had wanted, and expected to happen. Them mounting some sort of massive defense to save the damsel in distress, and he had left breadcrumbs, the doors he did not want open, were cemented shut. He knew it would only slow them if they truly wanted to get through them, but he figured that curiosity would get the best of them. The path he had set up for them led them straight into the ballroom, where he stood on a grand balcony, and would look down on them, much like a King did on his subjects. And he had won his Queen to his side, with some well placed deception.

As the heroes entered the room, he watched their panic, soaking it in with a sense of satisfaction. They had not see him as of yet, so he thought it best he drew their attention upwards. "Seems your too late Gabriel, she knows what you've done. A little bird flew in and told her, that with out her to hold you back, you return to your murderous ways. You can't rescue someone who is staying willingly, isn't that right, my dear?" Adam held out a hand for Elle to take, and then pulled her further into the spotlight to make sure that Gabriel could see her. The look of defeat on the once enormously powerful former serial killer was almost too much for Adam, he had to hold in a squeal of glee.

Elle shook her head for a moment, before turning her attention down to the man who's children she was carrying. "I really wish you could have put all the pieces together, Gabriel. Figured out how this situation truly worked, instead of doing the exact thing you know I could never forgive you. That you would sacrifice a moment's mirth knowing you would loose your children forever..." Her hand went to her stomach, and the pain was evident in her face. "Nothing can separate us."

Adam had thought she was instructing Gabriel that he was too late, and she would never let him see his own babies. But the line was a code, a puzzle that only Gabriel would know, and of course he would instantly understand, he was a master of how things worked, came together, fit together. He had uttered those words to her their first night in the loft, before they had gone up against Arthur. She was telling him she was still his, and she would never allow them to be taken from one another.

Adam leaned against the railing, a satisfied look on his face as he began to gloat over what he thought had just happened. "Seems I've won, friend. None of you can touch me." He cooed, reveling in his victory. "Is tha' so? Pity." Claude appeared out of nowhere, and pushed Adam over the balcony, before grabbing onto Elle, and cloaking her with his invisibility.

Gabriel looked at the man standing to his left, and then to the one to his right. Noah Bennet and Peter. "Noah, can you meet Claude and help make sure they make it out of here, safe and sound?" As much as the past had them against each other, Gabriel knew deep down that Noah did see Elle as a daughter figure, perhaps a cautionary tale of what Claire could have become. There was no utterance of affirmation, Noah simply ran off in the direction that Elle and Claude would likely be heading down. The very small army of lackey's Adam had put together, seemed to come out the wood work, keeping the heroes quite busy in their wake.

Gabriel turned his attention back to Adam, who was locking limbs back into place, moving to stand. Before the ancient man could regain his posture, Gabriel swung his fist, colliding with Adam's jaw. He could use his powers, but it felt too much like Sylar going in for the kill. No, this was personal, this was justice for taking the one good thing in Gabriel's life and trying to taint it. "I'll fucking kill you." He growled, before delivering another blow to Adam's stomach. The blond man simply laughed, blood dribbling out the side of his mouth. "You realize hitting me is like using a feather to dig up concrete? Pointless." It did not slow the blows, but rather made Gabriel feel the need to inflict further harm, even if it was temporary. "Concrete doesn't feel pain. You do, I'd hypothesize." He spat, anger continuing to build exponentially. "You're just upset that I got my hands on her...in her...all over her. Even if she wasn't carrying the most precious commodity, I'd bet I'd have still taken her from you. That lovely little body is just sheerly too much for one such as I to resist."

It was then the fragile part of Gabriel, the part that had been weakening with each day he spent alone, snapped. He knew somewhere in the back of his rational mind, he knew that Adam had yet to lay a finger on Elle, her cryptic message to him earlier was enough to confirm that. But he was no longer thinking with his rational mind, as he used his telekinesis to pin Adam to the wall, a single pointed finer raising. "We'll see if you can still talk, once your head is removed."

"Gabriel, NO!" Peter shouted behind him, rushing to his side once again, having been facing off with Knox. He left him for Claire to deal with, knowing that stopping Gabriel was a much more important endeavor. He put a hand on his brother's shoulder, leaning in closely so only his twin could hear. "If you kill him, like this, you risk everything you've worked so hard for. It's what he wants, to make you a monster again. He doesn't have her, she doesn't love him, she couldn't...." Peter held up a hand, holding his once partner in crime against the wall with the same ability, "Go, you know you want too. I'll hold him here, we'll figure out what we're going to do with him once she's safe. She needs you, Gabriel."

If the other words had not reasoned with him, the last four would have been enough to convince him. He released Adam into Peter's care, and bolted off into the direction he had watched H.R.G. head off into. It worried him when he realized they had not made it down from the upper level yet, and he knew something had to be impeding their progress. It was then he saw it at the end of the long hallway, at the top of the stairs. Tracy.

She had Claude on a headlock, which he likely only stayed in because the woman could freeze him much quicker than he could escape her. She had a gun in the opposing hand, pointed at Elle. Noah stood between them, and though Gabriel could not make out the words, the body language told him that Noah was attempting to reason with the frigid bitch. If Gabriel attempted to rush all heroic, he risked getting Claude killed. Before he could think up a better way, a way to save them all, he heard a gunshot ring out. For a moment it was as if time stood still, no one fell dramatically to the floor, or screamed out in pain. But when time regained itself, it was as if everything was moving ten times faster, Noah collapsed in front of Elle, who rushed to his side. Claude took Tracy's moment of focus to free himself from her grasp, and then landed a punch right on her nose, knocking her unconscious. Gabriel just ran. Faster than he had in his lifetime.

"He's losing too much blood." Elle said, her hand over the wound, trying to keep pressure on it and slow the flow of the crimson liquid. Gabriel used his telekinesis to fully stop the bleeding, but judging by the pool on the floor, it would not be enough. "We have to get him out of here, now." He knelt, carefully picking Noah up, and carrying him back towards the ballroom with his companions behind him following. There was not a heart felt reunion between Gabriel and Elle, there was not time for such a thing. They were in the middle of a war. But as they headed into the large room, she put her hand on his arm, lightly as not to weigh him down more than he already was by carrying Bennet.

Things seemed to be working in their favor. Elle watched as Meredith took her brother by the ear, screeching at him in a thicker Southern accent than she was used to hearing. But Flint seemed to be taking whatever Meredith was saying to heart, for he was not fighting back. Knox was in a crumpled pile on the floor, beneath a very confident looking Claire, and the phaser was being contained by Daphne. The speedster was literally running circles around the girl, so the moment she became solid again, she would be pushed back by an impossibly fast nudge of Daphne's shoulder.

The smile on Claire's face faded when she realized what had happened to her father, Gabriel knelt, moving to set him on the ground, when he realized the older man's heartbeat was quickly fading. "No. This is not how this is going to end..." He proclaimed, using his telekinesis to severe his own skin, he allowed his blood to flow and drip down into the wound Noah had sustained. They did not know if someone could be returned from the dead more than once, due to the miraculous blood Claire and Gabriel both had, but Gabriel was not ready to test the theory. Within seconds, Noah began to sputter, sticking his tongue out as a piece of metal glinted on the tip of it.

"Thanks....Gabriel." Noah forced out, his voice ragged. Claire wrapped her hands around the neck of her father, and it was then Gabriel felt the arms of his own beloved at his back. He pulled her around to stand beside him, a protective arm over her shoulder. Adrenaline was still coursing through each of them, but they would take those they had in custody back to Pinehearst, and figure out from there what to do with them. Perhaps it was even time to reinstate the prison in level 5 of Primatech.

Elle pulled him to face her, hands cupping the sides of his cheeks and tilting his chin upwards, wanting his gaze to hold hers. Chaos flowed all around them, as the good guys wrangled the bad, fighting a battle their parents had never faced. "You saved me...again." She leaned down to press her lips chastely to his, there would be time to show him exactly how grateful she was later. Her mouth moved to brush his earlobe, and then she simply whispered,

"Please, take me home."


	10. Control

A/N – The end of this saga will lead us into the next one, as I did with the last one. Mit, you're wondering where Nathan is at, and he's around, promise. He will have a larger part to play in the next series.

He had held her hand the entire walk back to the loft, though very little had been said between them. Peter had taken care of whatever ends needed to be tied up after the fight, including putting Adam is solitary confinement on level five. The only person who had not been taken to lock down, had been the child, Marie, and she had been put under the care of Matt and Daphne, even though Elle had expressed wanting to care for her. After the ordeal she had been through, Gabriel wanted to give her some time to recover.

He felt a stark need to sweep her up into his arms, and never let her go again, but he was resisting the notion the best he could. Claire had gone off with her parents, the entire Bennet clan was reevaluating where they should go from that point, and had opted to stay with Peter and a newly released Angela. No one doubted the Matriarch's ability to manipulate a situation, but she was not a threat unless she was not being watched, and that was when they had come to the conclusion to put her under the watchful eye of Peter. Everything seemed to be going back to normal, or as close to normal as they could seem to be.

When they made it to the home they had carved out for themselves, she immediately went to the bed and collapsed, pulling him to lay next to her. She laid on her side, and propped her chin on her elbow, to get a better look at him. "It's twins, unless you hadn't picked that up by the constant mention of babies, not baby. It took me awhile to catch on too." She shrugged her shoulders, and he was amazed at how calm she seemed, that she was not shaking or scared that she might be taken from him again. He was completely gripped by the idea this could happen again, or could be something they would face often in their lives. She lifted a hand to caress his cheek, his troubled mind was obviously etched in his emotions.

"It's not going to happen again. That little girl, Marie, she told me somethings...I'm pretty sure I can use my powers without hurting the babies...eventually." His brow stayed knit, he was not yet ready to unlock his tension. "You'll still be a target, Elle....And not everyone that might be after you is going to get fired, even if you try really hard." She suddenly picked up the reason he was so on edge, and shook her head. "Gabriel, it's not going to happen again. I know you feel as if you've failed me, but you need to know this much, I am the one person you can't ever fail...As long as you just keep loving me." He had lifted a burden for her, back in the cell they had kept her in, taken her pain via his empathy...She had just removed a huge part of his, with a few words. Gabriel had never been good enough, not for his adoptive mother, not for his parents, not for his family, not for the world. And yet this woman laid before him, saying as long as he loved her he was beyond good enough, as if she were inferior to him.

He moved closer to her, wrapping his arms around her small frame. "Elle, the way I feel about you....that's never going to change. I need you...You're...You're my balance." He could not think of any other way to put it, but that was truly what she was, the thing that kept him from falling apart, or falling back into bad habits. He felt her sigh against him, then rub her hips against his, a laugh emitting from her lips. "Do you have any idea what being away from you, plus pregnancy hormones, has done to my sex drive? You keep touching me like this, and you may find that your clothes have been fried off." He leaned back from her slightly, to catch the mischievous look on her face, and realized she was completely serious.

"Hmm, too bad I don't have the Haitian's power, I could.....play with you for awhile...Make you beg for it." His own eyebrow quirked, before he pushed her backwards suddenly, pinning her beneath him as his hands slid up her arms and locked with her fingers. "You wouldn't dare." She said to him, her lips still in a curve that made him think she still thought herself to have the upper hand. "Wouldn't I? Probably best if you don't test me, dear." Elle had not accounted for the fact that he could use his telekinesis to hold her in place, but she was swiftly reminded of the fact when his hands slid from hers, but her arms still felt weighed down.

His hands went about exploring, traveling down her arms till they found her shoulders, her chest. He cupped her breasts, squeezing them with enough force to illicit a soft moan from Elle. She could still electrocute him, but she had no desire to do such a thing, at least not yet. She wanted to see what he planned to do, if he planned to make good on making her beg for it. His hands slid upward, to the collar of her shirt, and he ripped the material in a swift motion, allowing himself access to the ample skin that had been hiding beneath it.

She thought he would give her rising bosom some attention, but he moved downward, freeing her legs of her jeans, and then her panties. Laying exposed beneath him, he had only proved to increase her desire with each intimate movement of undressing. The ache with in her pulsed, but she was not yet to a point where she would ask him to make love to her, she would find a way to tempt him into giving in, somehow. But when his face continued to sink lower, until it found the source of her ache, her back arched slightly at the sensation of his hot breathe tickling that most sensitive place.

"Gabe..." She breathed, struggling against the invisible restraints, she wished to lace her fingers in his hair and pull him to the area that so needed his attention. He pressed a kiss to the inside of her left thigh, immediately followed by her right, then brought his eyes up to meet hers, a mischievous look lighting his features. "Did you need something, love?" His thick eye brows arched, knowing he was getting from her the exact reaction he wanted.

Elle shook her head, and quickly let her eyes find the ceiling again. His eyes would be her undoing, if she continued to hold his gaze, for in them she knew he wanted her just as badly as she wanted him. A long sigh escaped her lips, as she tried to buck her hips, but his hold on her was too great. He leaned upward, placing another kiss on the lower part of her abdomen, his hands working his shirt over his shoulders. They then made quick work of his pants, as he continued upwards with his kisses. When he met the valley between her deeply rising and sinking bosom, he slid his hands under her small frame, and freed her of the last bit of material obstructing his way, her bra.

His mouth returned to it's prior occupation, his body now all but hovering over hers. She found she could not crane her neck downwards, but now his face was aligned with hers, and that smirk was still on it. "Welcome home." His arms snaked around her, pulling her body close, and though she could not see it, she knew he had to be aching for this just as badly as she was. "You're not playing fair." She attempted to growl at him, but it likely came out as more of a whine. "Alls fair in love....and seduction." He shrugged his shoulders, and bent his neck till his lips were tight against her ear. "Do you want me, Elle? Do you ache for me? Only me?" The last question had been stated without him consciously realizing why he had said it. She was his, and even though he knew it, the machinations of Adam still echoed somewhere in the back of his mind.

She had pressed her eyelids shut with some force, but when she heard his question, they slowly opened. "Only you. It was always you." It was a tender moment, mixed in the game that was happening between their minds and bodies, the delicate balance of power. "Please?" She asked softly, her voice strained. "Make love to me, Gabriel?"

He had planned to wait till she did utter words that were urgent, desperate pleas to have him inside her. But the look in her eyes as she had posed that last question were his undoing. He still held her in place, aligning his hips with her open legs and pushing inside her in one steady thrust. She attempted to buck beneath him, and a sharp cry of bliss came from her lips.

His movements were swift and possessive, as if to claim her, even though she was already his. A hand slid from it's station on her side, down to the thrumming bundle of nerves. Where she able too, Elle might have arched forward at the sudden add of stimulation, waves of euphoria hitting her so suddenly she found herself shattering around him. But her orgasm did not seem to slow his pace at all, but rather spur it on. It was then he finally relinquished control, as she rode out the waves of bliss, his hips still pounding against hers.

Her back arched reflexively, and when she realized she had control again, she moved to clutch him as closely to her as possible. And then the idea hit her, and the smirk that had previously stayed in his features now shown in hers. Pressing her hands to his chest, she emitted a shock from her palms that would not hurt him, but would startle him. She used the leverage to press him over, till he was on her back beneath her.

"Stay down." She moaned, her eyes steady on her partners as she started to ride him, hips gyrating as she moved up and down in a quickly increasing rhythm. He could not respond, but simply moved his hands to her breasts, urging her movements further. She rode him till he buckled beneath her, his arms pulling her tightly against him as he came, her name escaping his mouth like salvation.

And maybe that was what it truly was for him.


	11. A necessary end

_A/N – I sat down to write, and the story finished itself without my permission. So it seems the next time I post, I'll be starting into the next branch of my little saga. Feed back is MUCHO appreciated._

The disappearance of Nathan Petrelli was not something any of them expected, but even more perplexing was the fact that Angela was in no way involved in it. Matt could tell she was not lying when she said she had no idea where he had gone off too, and this only proved to make everyone nervous. Peter had pointed out that there was not a moment in Nathan's life where he made a move without someone pulling the strings to make him do so, the question was, who could be doing such a thing?

But the worry of that was set aside as the months went by. Gabriel looked happier and happier with each month that went by, the swell of Elle's belly increasing with each increment of time that passed. When she reached the nine month mark she looked as if she might topple over at any moment, the ball of her stomach seeming to out balance her tiny frame. They had found a physician, Dr. Jeppson, who had a healing ability to be involved with her natal care throughout the pregnancy, and he had agreed to deliver the children somewhere along that time of care. The labor did not last to terribly long, and Gabriel was able to let her spark, and squeeze his hand each time she had to give a push, making sure the electricity did not feed into the doctor, or their children.

Marie had been correct in her predictions, the children were named as she had said. Michael Noah was for the fact that Micah had done everything he could to stop by and help Elle as much as possible, and Noah of course was for the fact that old 'glasses' had nearly lost his life saving Elle. Lilianna Marie was after Elle's mother, and the amazing little girl that had helped Elle to keep hope alive even in her darkest hour. Everything seemed to be going perfectly, that August. They had brought the babies home a few days later, and a few weeks after that they had invited friends and family to visit their new bundles of joy.

Uncle Peter was of course the first to show up, with his now girlfriend Aurora in tow. Things were progressing slowly for the new couple, even though it was apparent to anyone who knew them how much Pete was simply in awe of the woman on his arm. If she needed time, he was willing to give it to her. Little Michael cooed up at his uncle, who played with his tiny feet, causing the infant to reflexively giggle at the stimulation. It seemed as if they had finally achieved the peace they had all worked so hard for, but of course, such moments are always just the calm before the storm.

The knock at the loft door did not surprise any of them, simply for the fact that they were expecting guests, and therefore Elle walked up lightly to it. But when she saw who was standing on the other side, her eyes went wide, and it was not a moment before Gabriel was at her side. "Nathan?" He all but gasped, putting his an arm protectively around his mate, and using the other hand to signal Peter to protect the children. The look on Nathan's face was enough to cause unease within them all, he shook his head, his eyes seeming to steady the floor beneath him. "Not quite Nathan, Son....Well, you're not really my sons, either of you. More of a product of your mother's moment of weakness with my own twin brother...Hence why the family trait of empathic mimicry ended up in both your bloodlines."

Everyone listened, but none really understood the non-sense that seemed to be falling from Nathan's lips. "You really thought killing me would stop me? It didn't when your mother tried it, so I highly doubt you'd succeed where she failed. Don't worry, though...I'm not here to start trouble...Not yet at least. Be seeing you soon, I think it's time for a family reunion, don't you?" And with those words, he blinked away, as if he had never really been there to begin with.


End file.
